The screenshots reveal a lot about the new handset, as well as showing how Sony is making use of KitKat features and how the new Xperia flagship handset will sit in the Sony ecosystem.

High definition video and audio

One of the headline features will undoubtedly be 4K video capture. We saw Samsung offer 4K capture on the Galaxy Note 3 and Sony appears to be following suit.

It makes perfect sense, given that both companies are offering other 4K devices, so you will be able to potentially throw the content you capture from your Sirius to your Bravia screen in brilliant 4K. Aside from watching 4K House of Cards on Netflix, this might be the only 4K content you get your hands-on for a while.

There's another nod to Sony's ecosystem with the Lifelog app spotted in the apps tray. This app supports the Sony SmartBand launched at CES 2014. That's no surprise, but there's also an "accessories" tab in the power management section of the UI, so perhaps you'll be able to govern attached accessory behaviour as well as that of the phone itself.

Also on accessories, Sony looks to be supporting High-Resolution Audio via USB. Sony has a range of products that support High-Resolution Audio so it looks like it intends you to use one of its USB DACs with the Sirius.

There are a number of smart features coming to Sirius, including Smart backlight control and Smart call handling. The first keeps the display on when you're looking at it, the second will answer the call when you lift the phone to your face. Both sound like features we've seen from Samsung previously and joins a number of additions Sony is making that could roll out to older devices too.

A dab of KitKat

The interface looks very much as it has on previous Sony Xperia handsets, there doesn't appear to be a sweeping change in design here, as is being rumoured for the Samsung Galaxy S5. There are integrated KitKat elements, such as the translucent notifications and launcher bars which look great.

One of Android 4.4 KitKat's new features is support for multiple launchers and it looks like Sony is leveraging this to add a simpler interface with larger icons and fonts and less mess.

There's a host of other additions detailed on XperiaBlog which has the complete set of images, but we're interested in the What's New app.

There isn't much of a clue as to what it does, but Sony has added a shortcut alongside Google Now, which you'd get to from a swipe up from the home button. This suggests it has some importance as it's going to be easily accessible.

Unfortunately, the screenshots show only films and music sitting alongside the Sony Entertainment Network logo. Giving that degree of prominence to an app that only promotes new content from Sony's entertainment channels may not go down so well, but we'll have to wait and see on that one.

The Sony Sirius, presumed to be the Xperia Z2, is expected to launch at Mobile World Congress 2014 in February.